Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A Token Photo

Here it is.. The first inch of the next sock-- A Crowning Achievement.It's a bit slow going right now—every other row is increased/decreases, to make very peaked chevrons. I used a channel island cast on, and I love how it accentuates the zig zag edge.

Chevrons (as any one who ever knit Jaywalkers knows) compacts the knitting, so instead of my standard (with Kroy) 60 stitch cast on, I cast on 80 (33% more stitches!) so right now, each row is longer, too.

After another inch or so of the chevrons, I will end with a row of decreases, not balanced with increases and decrease 16 stitches in one round—down to a count of 64. Then I'll work an inch or so before working another set of decreases, twice, to get to the final correct count.

I am thinking, too, of jazzing these up with a small clock pattern just above the heel—one echoing the chevron of the cast on. But, mostly these socks are going to be plain stocking knit –fast and easy to knit.

I should have a dozen or so more photos—Last night I was out to dinner with Chia and BF Sean.Chia was one of the early members of the LICKnits group--a group that has over the years had knitter after knitter MOVE! Anya, the founding member, Marizta, Chia, Susan, Kat, Melissa (tall), Colette, and others!-- No one quits the group, they just have lives, and their lives take them places far away.

We went to dinner at a place Chia found in Astoria—Ornella's a small but wonderful Italian place.The menu offered the simple classical spaghetti and meat balls (for Sean) or Spaghetti Carbonana (me) or the incredible chestnut flour pasta with mushrooms and shrimps--(the place is worth a trip just for the chestnut pasta!) that Chia had.

There was good bread, and free mini appetizer of a tomato salad on crisp garlic-y croutons.

The desserts were special too.. A lovely flan--(though I really dislike sweet custards) a tiramisu, and light, but rich chocolate mouse cake. And a bonus—we were presented with a slice of a creamy cake with eggplant and chocolate.

I know, the eggplant, like the tomato, is technically a fruit, not a vegetable. But like the tomato, it's almost always treated as something savory, not something fruity. And I've heard of tomato cakes –but never of a eggplant cake. The eggplant was used as filling between the layers of cake—and the cake was garnished with chocolate. Not in a million years would I have thought to make a cake of eggplant and chocolate. The cake is not a regular item on the menu—but if it is offered, try it! Even Sean, who has a somewhat adverse relationship with vegetable thought it was good.

After dinner, a short stroll—and we found Patrick—who had set up his small telescope on the corner of Ditmars Blvd and 31st Street (the M (metro) symbol on the map below).

He was offering visions of Saturn. Which is visible to the naked eye--(that is, to my naked eye, and my vision isn't the best!) even in the light washed skies of NY (with a near full moon in the sky too!) But you can't see anything but a bright spot of light with the naked eye. The telescope brought to life the beauty and rings!

When we all ooh'd and aah'd over that, he turned the lens to the gibbious moon. The craters on the south pole where breathtakingly clear and well defined by light and shadow.. Oh what a night.

I was there—in the present—and while I had my camera with me—I never thought to take it out! Even Chia and Sean who had planned to take photo's of the food--forgot! The dessert were half eaten before they remembered.